The present disclosure relates to a method for producing an electrostatic latent image developing toner.
In order to form images with high quality, toners are recently demanded to have a small particle size for improving resolution. For outputting an image with high quality, it is effective to reduce the average particle size of a toner to approximately 5 μm and to sharpen a particle size distribution of the toner.
A method for producing a toner having a sharp particle size distribution and having a small particle size includes an aggregation step and a coalescence step. In the aggregation step, fine particles of components of a toner, such as a binder resin, a coloring agent and a release agent, are aggregated. In the coalescence step, the aggregates obtained in the aggregation step are coalesced by heating. In such a method for producing a toner, the shapeability of a toner and the dispersibility of a component such as a coloring agent or a release agent in the toner can be easily controlled.
Specifically, in the method for producing a toner, for example, aggregates are formed and then coalesced by heating to prepare the toner. For forming the aggregates, an aggregating agent is added to a dispersion of components of the toner dispersed in an aqueous medium in the presence of a dispersant, so as to aggregate the components contained in the dispersion. Examples of the dispersant include methyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose.